Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the 2026 Gulf red snapper season will extend to a record-breaking 140 days at a press conference in Fort Myers this week.
The Gulf red snapper season will run in two phases.
- May 22 to July 31
- Sept. 1 to Oct. 4, followed by three and two-day weekends through the end of the year and early January
"We can enjoy this historic season thanks to the work of FWC [Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission], the state Reef Fish Survey, which has gathered the data directly from anglers and has helped us show that we can manage this in a way that gives people opportunities," DeSantis said.
Florida's Gulf red snapper season was 55 days when Gov. DeSantis took office.
Gov. DeSantis added that the latest extension will provide opportunities for the fishing business, local restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues.
"People will plan trips to the Florida Gulf Coast to do red snapper fishing," DeSantis said. "This has been a great boon for our Gulf communities. It's allowed a lot of Floridians and visitors alike to enjoy the red snapper that our waters have to offer."
"But it's also something that's important for families and for Florida's culture. This is things that people, they take their sons or daughters out to go, and they fish, and these are great memories, and you'll have grandparents take grandkids, and this and that, and we've been able to rejuvenate that in the Gulf with our expanded season," DeSantis added.
The governor's announcement follows the federal government's approval allowing the state of Florida to control Atlantic red snapper management beginning this year. The Atlantic red snapper season will run for 39 days, up from the previous two days in 2025 and one day in 2024.
The Biden administration had previously stagnated fishing guidelines before the changes under the Trump administration.
